You guys are looking in the wrong direction.
I bought my first home in 1965. It was brand new in Huntington Beach. Yes ... THAT Huntington Beach, the one close to Newport Beach. I paid a grand total of $20,650 for the home and my payments, counting principle, interest, taxes and insurance was $147.00 per month. That home today would sell for around $600,000. So, the question is ... did the value of the home go up, or did the value of the money go down?
As long as we have a monetary system whereby the central social planners and the banking cartel can create money from nothing, not backed by anything of value, we will continue paying the hidden tax known as "inflation." Its time to face facts ... we have a socialized monetary system, and its been this way since 1913.
Audio Research is subject to inflationary pressures just like any other firm, or private person. Smoke and mirrors guys ... smoke and mirrors. |
jmcgrogan ...
You are comparing the price of a REF-3 to the REF-30? Ha ... that's not a fair comparison. The 2008 price of a REF-3 needs to be compared to the price of a new REF-6.
REF-3 ... $10,000.
REF-6 ... $14,000.
I stick by my inflation point.
Consider this: How does a government pay for a war that costs trillions of dollars without raising taxes? It doesn't. It finds a way to raise taxes while at the same time pulling the wool over the eyes of the taxpayer. That tax is called "inflation." Who suffers? Savers and those on fixed incomes. In other words, those who can least afford the inflation tax; old people and the frugal. Every dollar brought into existence through counterfeiting dilutes the worth of a dollar already in existence. The difference is ... if you or I were the counterfeiters, we go to jail. When the government counterfeits money through the banking cartel, its called Quantitative Easing. Remember the trillion-dollar bailouts? No taxes raised for that either.
Look, every company has had their expenses rise over the years, including ARC. Have you looked at your household electric bill lately? Now imagine getting an electric bill for an entire factory. What's the current price of toner for your employer's copy machines today? How about the phone bill? How about the increase in payroll? Unless one runs one's own business, these expenses escape the eyes of the rank and file employees.
Its been said many times ... If the American People were to ever realize what has been done to their monetary system, there would be a revolution by morning.
I apologize for getting political on our favorite audio forum, but it had to be said.
Happy listening ...
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^^^ I don't want to get into a pissing match with you rodman ... but where can you find a suitable building these days in Milan, Tokyo or Berlin for less than "multi-millions?"
And by the way, I don't think the employees of ARC are enjoying those "rooftop gardens" in Minnesota this time of year.
Do you belong to the "profits are evil" crowd??? How's Bernie Sanders looking to you these days?? *lol* |
^^^ Sorry, but you guys are looking at apples vs oranges. The top of the line ARC preamp is a different animal. One box vs two. More electronics and state of the art doesn't come cheap. For those who can afford 30k for a preamp, more power to them. If ARC dealers can sell a million of them at 30k more power to them as well. Its called capitalism ... and believe it or not, even in today's world, capitalism isn't a dirty word. |
Schubert ...
I've been in the real estate business for the past 38 years. I can assure you that real estate firms do not control the prices of houses. Supply and demand does. And quite honestly, if you think free market economics (Austrian School) takes a back seat to Keynesian economics, all one has to do is take a good look at the national debt of 20 trillion and unfunded liabilities in excess of 200 trillion.
Hopefully there isn't anything offensive in the above post that would cause it to be removed by the mods.
Again ... why are steaks over 50 bucks for three steaks at Costco, college tuition over 40 grand a year and a new ARC REF-6 four thousand dollars more than what the REF-3 cost in 2008? |
Schubert ...,
Wow! 180 degrees out of sync. Love to debate you ... but not on this site,.
jmcgrogan2 ...
Yes, I had several posts deleted. None were in violation of "the rules." Most likely they don't want political discussions on the site. Can't say I blame them though. |
^^^
With the possibility of having this post removed because it doesn't come up to the standards of someone's idea of political correctness, I'd like to say that the United States was founded upon revolution. It was founded upon anti-theft .... anti the theft of taxation without representation. Read the Declaration of Independence to see the list of grievances.
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^^^ Exactly, jhconnor. ^^^ Thanks for not being stone-blind to the truth.
For the others ... There is nothing wrong with our system as it was intended. The problem is, men have subverted the system to meet their own needs and the needs of their wealthy campaign donors. A good example is the current president trying to give amnesty to 11 million people with a stroke of a pen.
According to the system laid out by the Framers in the Constitution, only Congress can create laws. The President signs the bills into law and enforces them. He's the cops. Congress creates the bills to be signed. Congress is the Legislature. The current president is assuming the job of Congress. Read the very first sentence in Article I of the Constitution for clarity.
To see just how far we've traveled down "The Road to Serfdom" (as Hayek called it), read Madison's Federalist 57 to see what he had to say over 200 years ago about our current ruling class that passes laws for the "common people," and then subsequently exempt themselves from those very same laws.
Okay, enough political rantings. Back to the subject at hand: How's your expensive Audio Research Amp sounding these days? Mine sounds just dandy.
Happy listening ... |
jmcgrogan2 ..
So, when you go to the Chevrolet dealership do you not see the increased value between a new top of the line family sedan and a new Z1 Corvette? How about when you go to a Ford dealership ... no difference between the family station wagon and the new F-40? How about a Porsche dealership ... no difference between a Boxter and a twin turbo 911?
And you see no difference between a REF-3, a new REF-6 and a new REF-30??????
Just asking ... |
jmcgrogan ..
My eyes are open.
I agree "everyone" is doing it (raising prices). That would include Costco's meat department and audiophile fuses being sold at $120 per pop. I've pointed it out before ...its called inflation ... or more dollars chasing the same amount of goods and services. Can we expect anything else after paying for a war that cost a trillion dollars, a 700 billion financial sector bailout and another trillion for a stimulus package, all without raising taxes?
What does the term "quantitative easing" mean to you?? If the economic system is flooded with new money without taking old money out of circulation, does that not dilute the worth of every dollar already in existence? If each dollar is reduced in value, doesn't it make sense that it takes more dollars to manufacture, and subsequently to buy the same product year over year?
If we want to see a real price disparity, let's go back to ARC's first preamp, the SP-3, and compare that price with the price of ARC's flagship at 30K.
Oh, the horrors! |
